You can still have Lupus and not test positive for ANA although it's rare.
Only 2 percent of people who have lupus will test negative for ANA and those who have a negative ANA test result may also have anti-Ro/SSA or antiphospholipid antibodies.
Anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) are possible signs of autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, scleroderma, Sjögren's syndrome, juvenile arthritis, or polymyositis and dermatomyositis.
White blood cells in the body's immune system make antibodies to spot and attack foreign agents that cause infections or disease.
95% of people with lupus test positive for ANA, but a number of other, non-lupus causes can trigger a positive ANA, including infections and other autoimmune diseases.
The ANA test simply provides another clue for making an accurate diagnosis.
The ANA test is used specifically for the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosis (SLE). A positive ANA titer (> 1:80) with the associated clinical signs (e.g. skin disease, polyarthritis) and laboratory findings (e.g. proteinuria, thrombocytopenia) is diagnostic for SLE.
A positive ANA test can mean you have Lupus but it can also mean you have some other autoimmune diseases as well.
A positive result on an ANA test means that antinuclear antibodies were found in your blood.
Some common conditions that you could have if you get a positive ANA test include.
Systemic lupus erythematosus.
Sjögren's syndrome -- a disease that causes dry eyes and mouth.
Scleroderma -- a connective tissue disease.
Rheumatoid arthritis -- this causes joint damage, pain, and swelling.
Polymyositis -- a disease that causes muscle weakness.
If Lupus is left untreated the Lupus can get worse and lead to life threatening conditions such as heart attack, stroke and even death.
If left untreated, the Lupus can put you at risk of developing life-threatening problems such as a heart attack or stroke.
In many cases, lupus nephritis does not cause any noticeable symptoms.
The first sign of Lupus is a photosensitive rash and fatigue.
A photosensitive rash is a rash that develops in response to sun exposure, particularly on the face and upper arms.
Other early symptoms of lupus include unexplained fever and pain, swelling, and stiffness of multiple joints.
Common signs and symptoms of Lupus include.
Fatigue. About 90 percent of people with lupus experience some level of fatigue.
Unexplained fever. One of the early symptoms of lupus is a low-grade fever for no apparent reason.
Hair loss.
Skin rash or lesions.
Pulmonary issues.
Kidney inflammation.
Painful, swollen joints.
Gastrointestinal problems.
Lupus is a disease that occurs when your body's immune system attacks your own tissues and organs (autoimmune disease).
Inflammation caused by lupus can affect many different body systems including your joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, brain, heart and lungs.
Lupus is a long-term autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system becomes hyperactive and attacks normal, healthy tissue.
Symptoms include inflammation, swelling, and damage to the joints, skin, kidneys, blood, heart, and lungs.
The people that are most likely to get Lupus are African Americans, Asian Americans and Hispanics and the ages that Lupus affects the most is the ages of between 15 years of age to 45 years of age.
Although anyone of any age can get Lupus but those are the people that are most likely to get Lupus.
Lupus can range from mild to severe.
End Stage Lupus is a severe and deadly case of Lupus.
End stage lupus nephritis occurs in the first 3 months of dialysis and most often results from infection.
Later on during end stage Lupus, infection and cardiovascular complications can occur which is the most common cause of death in end stage Lupus patients.
Most cases of Lupus do go away on their own but some cases can be more severe.
Lupus can be both mild and severe and some more severe cases of Lupus may require medical treatment and medicine to treat the Lupus.
But if your Lupus is only a mild case of Lupus then it will usually go away but it still a good idea to see your doctor about it.
Symptoms of Lupus can get worse and then get better.
Lupus is an autoimmune disease and not an STD.
Lupus is not contagious and you cannot pass it on or get infected with Lupus from someone who has it.
Lupus is an autoimmune disease but Lupus is not a form of cancer.
However while Lupus is not a form of cancer patients who do have Lupus are at a higher risk of developing some types of cancer.
The most common types of cancer that Lupus patients get after having Lupus are Cervix Cancer and Lymphoma Cancer.
But not all Lupus patients will get those cancers or any type of cancer.
Some Lupus patients just deal with the Lupus for the rest of their lives and never get cancer.
But just be aware that if you do have Lupus then you might get some type of cancer so you just have to be prepared for that.
It's best to get screened for cancer more often if you do have Lupus.